Sunday, October 05, 2008

I'm seeing more and more Warhammer posts and less Warcraft posts. realise it's a new game, but is this trend going to continue? I used to read your blog as a great source of paladin information, but lately... Might be time to unsubscribe.

I want to say something about "unsubscribe" but everything I try to write is coming out too snarky. So I'll just leave it alone.

The reason I'm not posting a lot about WoW and paladins is that nothing much is happening with them. Ret and Prot are pretty fun to play in Beta. Blizzard just needs to fix a couple of bugs (Art of War, mainly), and tune the numbers slightly, and those two trees are good to go.

About the only major change I'd want Blizzard to consider is to stop proccing Seals off special attacks, and then adjust the numbers. This might also allow Blizzard to dial Seal damage up a bit (revert the 20% nerf?) and that would make soloing as Holy easier. Seriously, soloing as Holy is something like three times slower than Ret. It's not so bad for the other healing classes, as healing gear now doubles as dps gear for them and they have the necessary tools to solo effectively. A resto shaman can still pump out Lightning Bolts and Shocks. A druid still has Moonfire and Starfire. But Holy lacks the tools that the other specs have.

Healing as Holy is still boring. But it's too late to significantly change Holy, and Blizzard seems happy with with the tree. Further proof that none of the designers play a Holy paladin.

Besides which, it's not going to matter. Blizzard is still intent on balancing raids around large numbers of healers. Most raiding paladins are going to be forced to heal, just because there won't be enough healers. Our Blessings are still in non-optimal state, meaning that PallyPower is going to be a required raid mod. All in all, I don't think I'm really looking forward to raiding in Wrath of the Lich King, at least not as a Paladin.

For now, at least WAR offers something new and different.

Posted by
Rohan

18 comments:

Keep the War posts coming, as you just stated there isn't much to be interested in beta/ptr at the moment and I'm enjoying reading about a paladin's view in a new mmo and their take on the holy knight :)

If you are going to unsubscribe from a blog just because the blogger is talking about the newest and greatest game, then I think you need to reconsider what makes you read this blog to begin with. I just quit reading the WAR posts but I do still enjoy the occasional WoW post. I also know that once Wrath actually hits we will probably see more posting as about WoW again.

Thanks for the update Rohan :)A lot of guild mates and friends have gone to WAR, but with everything they say and I read, plus WotLK coming out soon, I'll be waiting a few patches at least before I pick up WAR (if I ever try it that is).I may have been a little hasty posting my previous comment, I am not feeling much love from Blizzard right now (I'm sure all us Holy Paladin's can relate). The class looks boring and uninspiring with the IoL and BaconLight nerfs.Personally I've been helping out a lot of guild mates lately in WoW, and gathering as many BoJ's as possible so I can grab full Ret set, or pimp out my prot set if these Holy changes stick.It's that or back to my original main: a rogue (but when are you ever short on dps? Rogues are a dime-a-dozen).

I'm just not prepared to try another MMO until I see the final results of the WoW patch and expansion, hence I've been feeling a little 'out in the cold' with all your WAR news.

But keep the news coming, whichever game it happens to be :) I really enjoy your writing.

I'm enjoying your postings about WAR even though I am a dedicated WoW player. It's always interesting to see intelligent commentary about different game mechanics. Please keep up the wonderful coverage.

Best wishes,

Mugglebane

(By the way, thanks again for adding my blog The Sacred and Profane on your blogroll. We are deeply honored!)

It is your blog, you post about what you like. I cancelled my War subscription because of my system and the fact that I just cant get away from WoW. War is a good game, but I see lots of problems coming now that alot more people are hitting the level cap.

well that sucks about holy. On of our holy pallies is really bored + says he'll quit wow - or quit holy pally - if things dont change. Cant quite believe that blizz are screwing up and entire spec, but the consensus seems unanimous :(

Tell me one thing: you dont thinik blessings are being removed or fixed? By "fixed", I mean they are the one thing about every raid I've been in that simply WASTES EVERYONES TIME. I have never met a bunch of pallies who can get the buffs right. To begin with I thought the pallies were all noobs - but it continues to be the case with good people. Do you think blessings are just too complex for people? Sure, my raids all have pally power - and it dont seem to help one bit. These days, I go in with wrong buffs, rather than waste more time, on yet another wipe, asking for the right ones all over again from the same people all over again... and again... and again...

Fair enough if ppl want to unsubscribe - not much point reading a blog about a game you dont play (is there?). I wont read a blog about war but no biggie. I took it quite personally when bloggers I like "went off the rails" as far as I was concerned. Then I just learned to chill, unsubscribed, and left the person alone to write about what they like.

@anonymous previous posterPally blessings can be a pita, but we solved it in our guild by assigning one pally (me) to handle them. I already know what each of our pallies are specced (imp BoM, BoW etc) and sort the raid out accordingly. We usually run with ~3-4 pallies so lots of buffs. The easiest technique I've found is to assign the pally tank Salv/Sanc, one person does all kings, I do might/wisdom, and if we have another pally they do light. Just remember to keep salv of the pets, and only assign a pet blessing to a pally who knows to do a 10 min.

As long as one person handles the blessing assignments and everyone else leaves them alone (/rw Who keeps giving the tank salv?!!!) Then blessings are a breeze.

Re. blessings... My main problem with them and other such buffs is that the length of time.

It's not so bad with the greater blessings but with seals say - why not just have the length of a seal to be 15 or even 30 minutes? In pvp it can be dispelled, but in pve you're constantly having to re-cast which is just a boring chore - and the game is meant to be fun.

Ditto other short term buffs like the warrior buff shouts (ok, I can see why this is only 2 mins - I'm more talking about self only buffs here)

Perhaps there's a big reason in raids why the 2 min seal system works, but I can't see it...

There's still too much 'routine' in the game where Blizzard should more be cutting down on the work and adding more fun abilities and mini-buffs.

"Blessing of Kings" the ability doesn't really lend to Warhammer, as far as I can see... I would consider making a different blog for Warhammer content rather than alienating your WoW viewers. I really have no interest in Warhammer and just look to your blog for solid pally content. I can skip the Warhammer entries easily enough - you are kind enough to have "Warhammer" displayed in bold letters in the post titles about that content.